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{
    "id": 1043551,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1043551/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 183,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Homa Bay CWR, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Ms.) Gladys Wanga",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 590,
        "legal_name": "Gladys Atieno Nyasuna",
        "slug": "gladys-atieno-nyasuna"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I beg to move that the Tax Laws (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2020 be now read a Second Time. We all know that when we were hit by the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, the government moved with speed to effect amendments to our tax laws in order to cushion our people, industries and businesses from the impact of the many restrictions that had been brought about by the pandemic which hit not only Kenya, but the world at large. Hon. Speaker, Kenya was one of those countries that moved with speed. We were able to tame this pandemic from large scale damage to our people. In Africa, we are perhaps the only country or one of the few countries that went ahead to make reductions in our tax regime. On that basis, our economy was able to, in a large part, remain afloat during this period. Since March, we have had reliefs. During public participation for this Bill, many stakeholders told the Committee had it not been for some of the measures that were put in place by the Government, many businesses would have sunk. Many jobs were lost during this season. However, many more jobs would have been lost during this season had it not been for the measures that were put in place. When these measures were put in place, many questions arose. During public participation, people said the measures were put in in March when the pandemic begun. However, they were now in a season when the pandemic was ongoing. In fact, it seemed to be expanding. Why were we taking away some of these measures? That was a big question that was in the minds of the Committee Members and others. When the pandemic began, we all locked ourselves in our houses. First, Parliament closed. Many people also went and locked themselves in their houses. For three months, we never left our houses. There were lockdowns in Nairobi, Mombasa, Mandera and many counties. People could not move in or out of these cities. People were not going to work. The transport sector was at zero. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}